Locals give hot advice for barbecuing

Tuesday

Jul 2, 2013 at 6:23 PM

Be patient and prepared when barbecuing July Fourth, local experts advise.

Chance RyanStaff Writer

Be patient and prepared when barbecuing July Fourth, local experts advise.Mike Lewis, owner of Big Mike’s BBQ Smokehouse, 3034 Barrow St., Houma, said the biggest mistake he sees people make when barbecuing is cooking at temperatures that are too high. Good barbecue, Lewis said, is all about temperature and time.Barbecuing should be between 250 and 300 degrees, Lewis said. “Any higher than that, and you’re just drying the meat out,” he saidThe goal is not flames, Lewis said, but indirect heat — so the meat cooks evenly.Different types of meat require different methods, he said. With practice, patience and some experimentation, anyone can learn how to cook barbecue right, he said.Lewis recommends cooking ribs for about three hours at about 250 degrees. Brisket, on the other hand, should be cooked about 190 degrees for at least 12 hours.“Most people screw up chicken because they cook it too fast and too hot,” he said. “Chicken should be cooked at about 250 degrees for about two hours. You want to reach an internal temperature of about 170 degrees. Anything after that, you’re just drying the chicken out, and the skin and the meat don’t want to be friends anymore.”You can buy a variety of rubs at local grocery stores to add more flavor. Lewis said the basic ingredients usually include salt, pepper, chili powder and dry mustard. Cooking over wood will give barbecue a more refined and lasting flavor, said Johnnie Naquin, manager of Buy U BBQ, 420 Bayou Gardens Blvd., Houma. A variety of wood chips such as mesquite, pecan, walnut and hickory can be bought at Cannata’s or Rouses, she said. The type of wood depends on the type of flavor you’re going for, she said. Buy U uses pecan wood, Naquin said, which gives meat a sweet flavor. A mesquite wood, on the other hand, gives the meat a stronger, bolder flavor, she said. But lighting wood chips, it’s best to soak them in water for about an hour, Naquin said. Soaking the wood helps reduce flare ups and gives the meat better flavor, she said. The biggest mistake people make when barbecuing is overcooking their meat, Naquin said.“You don’t ever want to overcook anything because the meat just gets dried out and loses its flavor,” she said.A surefire way to keep food from overcooking, Naquin said, is to simply keep a close eye on the grill.Keeping the grill at a constant temperature also helps make sure the meat is cooked evenly, she added. Whether you opt for marinade or dry rub, Naquin recommends seasoning meat hours before grilling. According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service, poultry can be marinated and refrigerated up to two days, and beef, pork and steak can be marinated up to five days. For best results, use a basting brush, Naquin said. When using a rub, it’s important not to overdo it, Naquin said. “If you use too much, the meat becomes too salty and dries out a lot,” she said. “You want to keep the flavor there. You don’t want the rub to completely absorb the flavor.” “How much rub you use will depend on how dark your meat turns on its outside,” she added.Barbecue sauce is regional, so it depends on what sort of taste someone is looking for. Sauces in the Carolinas range from mustard to vinegar. In Kansas City, they’re much sweeter. In Memphis, they’re more smoky and sultry. In Alabama, white sauce is used.